Alright, so for some time now I've been writing for Defenders of the Hate, a metal-themed blog. Since redundancy is a pet peeve of mine (as is the phrase "pet peeve", oddly) I've decided to make this blog a bit more personal-though oriented, like our friends over at Negative Zen and Eye of the Ages. That said...
I love Pokemon. Inside, I'm an obsessive-compulsive 6-year old who's just "Gotta' Catch 'Em All!". I'm not the rabid Pokefan who buys game systems based on having a Pokemon game in their library, nor am I the one who knows all 493 by heart and sleeps next to a giant plush Pikachu (even though I totally have one).
I recently began playing them again, and I will go on record as saying they are one of the best game series' ever created. Based on a typical set of criteria for any game-review site, they were legendary for their time. The visuals were simple at first, and never strayed too far from that. The "helicopter-style" top down view is iconic, and provides a simple interface for all ages. The plot is simple- become the best Pokemon Trainer in the world. The world is expansive, even by some console standards of the time. With each successive generation, new Pokemon were added, new challenges, new worlds, and new ways to interact with the world.
But what I always wished for was a console-based Pokemon game. The logic is profoundly simple- do exactly what you did with the GBC/GBA/DS versions, only on a much more grand scale. Pokemon Stadium was a promising start, but that didn't quite cut it. Think about the possibilities! Full-animation 3-d battles, real-time action, and no more 4-move caps for all pokemon. The previous versions have shown that a 20-30 hour STORY mode is possible on a cartridge; imagine what a DVD or a Blu-Ray could do. Next gen graphics show Blaziken actually kick the shit out of a Graveller, instead of just moving toward him menacingly. No more "harware limitations"; go balls out and give fans what they want.
And that opens up another question, one that recently sprung up in the wake of World of Warcraft's domitation of online gaming: why not make a Pokemon MMO? The money to be made there is impossibly large. Pokemon seems like the perfect base for this- the story is about becoming the best in the world, so prove it! Fight people from all over the world! The possiblities are insane! So why haven't they done it?
Because they have fallen into the "Sports Game Redundancy Loop". Essentially, they update the roster (Pokedex) and add a few new features (Secret Base, tag-team fights), and sell it as a unique game. You've just cut the cost of production by half (using code from a prior game as a base) and made a killing from fans who want to see what new Pokemon they can catch.
Will we ever see a console RPG or an MMO from the Pokemon Universe? Possibly. If either project gets a green-light, the fans will go ape-shit for it, because it could represent a new era for Pokemon games. No more hadheld battles; nay, a 1080p bout between a team of Pokemon would be the proper way to see two trainer compete. The likelyhood? Slim, because the update method is almost fool-proof. If you have a formula, just keep adding minor, inconsequential details to it and make millions.
But a guy can always hope, right?
No, no he can't, because there's no TM for hope.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
inFamous- a Sucker Punch Production
Haven't been on here in a long time... Sorry 'bout that. I've been busy plugging away over at Defenders, and haven't really thought about this blog in some time. Oh well, here goes- what has been consuming my time over the last 4-5 days? inFamous, a game by cult favorite developers Sucker Punch.
For those unfamiliar with Sucker Punch, they have a very small library of games, so I don't blame you. They made the surprisingly awesome Sly Cooper series, a trilogy about a raccoon descending from a line of raccoon thieves- the first game is all about getting back your family's book of thieving secrets, the aptly titled Thievius Raccoonus. A childish premise, but quirky and entertaining no less. SP has been inactive until recently, when they declared the development of inFamous, a superhero game in the same vein as Fable, in that you get to choose between good and evil based on what actions you chose throughout the game.
You are Cole MacGrath, a bike messenger in Empire City. After unwittingly delivering a bomb to the heart of the Historic District of Empire City, you wake up with superpowers based around electricity. Starting out, you can survive large falls (in essence, you can't die from jumping off a building), shoot bolts of lightning from your hand, cause a "Shockwave" (a concussive blast that can flip cars and send people flying) and draining electricity from any source of power- a lamp post, parked cars, or one of the power lines that litter the city. Eventually, you learn how to snipe (Precision), grind on power lines and railroad tracks (Induction Grind) and, my personal favorite, fire massive rockets of electricity that cause spalsh damage, plus an extra spalsh if the guys happens to blow up. Many more are unlockable, from offensive to defensive, and each carries it's own role in the game.
I am a man impressed by details, and one that stuck out is that they explained everything. EVERYTHING. Cole can climb buildings like Spiderman. Why? He was into "urban exploration" before the blast. He can also jump over cars, climb just about anything in the city, and sprint for miles without stopping. They provided a semi-logical explanation for his powers, and even made getting new powers a plausible experience. The city's power grid is almost entirely out, and by re-connecting high-voltage underground transformers (by hand) your powers increase from the sheer force of energy flowing through you.
Plot: 10
The story is excellent, in my opinion. Betrayal, love, time-travel- all your basic plot-points are covered. The story is told through short cuts scenes and scripted gameplay, a'la Half-Life. Appropriately, the cut scenes are more like a comic panel than movies (in most cases) and are well drawn. It has enough twists that you may not see these things coming. Also, the plot goes one of two ways, depending on the path you choose (Good or Evil).
Graphics: 10
Solid graphics, without the ridiculous amount of bloom found in EVERY GAME nowadays. Even for a 720p game it still looks great. Cole actually changes appearance depending on the path chosen, and noticeably too. The lightning powers are awesome to look at, and the explosions are nice as well.
Sound: 9
Good to see they didn't sell-out and put T.I. as the sole soundtrack. Very atmospheric, changes with the circumstances, and never overbearing. The voice-acting is good (not notable, but sufficient). Essentially, the standard you've come to expect with next-gen consoles.
Mechanics: 8
Don't get me wrong; on the whole, the game plays smoothly. There are just a few points around each district that glitch horribly. For example, you lose the ability to walk in any direction but off a building, or you might find that walking through certain walls is not a problem for the Human Lightbulb. It's more of a nuisance than anything, but otherwise the game is superb. The aiming is great, the platforming is great, just the random glitches.
Atmosphere: 10
Do I feel like a superhero when playing this- kind of. Does Cole seems to be aware of his surroundings? Yes. Are people in the city aware of Cole? Yes. Does this feel like a city where a superhero might be needed? Yes. Problem solved.
Overall Experience: 9
Worth the $60, but not without flaws. A must have for current PS3 owners, but not a reason to buy the system itself.
For those unfamiliar with Sucker Punch, they have a very small library of games, so I don't blame you. They made the surprisingly awesome Sly Cooper series, a trilogy about a raccoon descending from a line of raccoon thieves- the first game is all about getting back your family's book of thieving secrets, the aptly titled Thievius Raccoonus. A childish premise, but quirky and entertaining no less. SP has been inactive until recently, when they declared the development of inFamous, a superhero game in the same vein as Fable, in that you get to choose between good and evil based on what actions you chose throughout the game.
You are Cole MacGrath, a bike messenger in Empire City. After unwittingly delivering a bomb to the heart of the Historic District of Empire City, you wake up with superpowers based around electricity. Starting out, you can survive large falls (in essence, you can't die from jumping off a building), shoot bolts of lightning from your hand, cause a "Shockwave" (a concussive blast that can flip cars and send people flying) and draining electricity from any source of power- a lamp post, parked cars, or one of the power lines that litter the city. Eventually, you learn how to snipe (Precision), grind on power lines and railroad tracks (Induction Grind) and, my personal favorite, fire massive rockets of electricity that cause spalsh damage, plus an extra spalsh if the guys happens to blow up. Many more are unlockable, from offensive to defensive, and each carries it's own role in the game.
I am a man impressed by details, and one that stuck out is that they explained everything. EVERYTHING. Cole can climb buildings like Spiderman. Why? He was into "urban exploration" before the blast. He can also jump over cars, climb just about anything in the city, and sprint for miles without stopping. They provided a semi-logical explanation for his powers, and even made getting new powers a plausible experience. The city's power grid is almost entirely out, and by re-connecting high-voltage underground transformers (by hand) your powers increase from the sheer force of energy flowing through you.
Plot: 10
The story is excellent, in my opinion. Betrayal, love, time-travel- all your basic plot-points are covered. The story is told through short cuts scenes and scripted gameplay, a'la Half-Life. Appropriately, the cut scenes are more like a comic panel than movies (in most cases) and are well drawn. It has enough twists that you may not see these things coming. Also, the plot goes one of two ways, depending on the path you choose (Good or Evil).
Graphics: 10
Solid graphics, without the ridiculous amount of bloom found in EVERY GAME nowadays. Even for a 720p game it still looks great. Cole actually changes appearance depending on the path chosen, and noticeably too. The lightning powers are awesome to look at, and the explosions are nice as well.
Sound: 9
Good to see they didn't sell-out and put T.I. as the sole soundtrack. Very atmospheric, changes with the circumstances, and never overbearing. The voice-acting is good (not notable, but sufficient). Essentially, the standard you've come to expect with next-gen consoles.
Mechanics: 8
Don't get me wrong; on the whole, the game plays smoothly. There are just a few points around each district that glitch horribly. For example, you lose the ability to walk in any direction but off a building, or you might find that walking through certain walls is not a problem for the Human Lightbulb. It's more of a nuisance than anything, but otherwise the game is superb. The aiming is great, the platforming is great, just the random glitches.
Atmosphere: 10
Do I feel like a superhero when playing this- kind of. Does Cole seems to be aware of his surroundings? Yes. Are people in the city aware of Cole? Yes. Does this feel like a city where a superhero might be needed? Yes. Problem solved.
Overall Experience: 9
Worth the $60, but not without flaws. A must have for current PS3 owners, but not a reason to buy the system itself.
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